Peru: Day 1 and 2
Yesterday I got back from Peru. The trip was just incredible; so full of activities and ruins and history and memories. There's no way I can accurately and fully describe it in words or pictures, but I'll do my best...
Marisa, Natalie, and I took a group of 6 kids. They spent the travel-filled ten days wide-eyed and appreciative; willing and adventurous. I am so, so proud of them:
Instant friends: Our kids flying to Lima from Houston
We arrived in Lima (Peru's capital) late at night, which worked out well because we were all exhausted. Our tour guide, Jaime, picked us up at the airport, and it was there we met the six other travelers (from New York) who would be accompanying our group of nine throughout the next nine days. The hotel we stayed at was nicer than expected, in the "upscale" Miraflores District, and we woke up early the next day to explore the city. Hola Lima!
Lima's famous Plaza de Armas, which has been the center of Lima since 1535, when the city was founded by Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro. Since then, it has been used as a theatre, a bull ring, and a killing field for people sentenced to death by the Spanish Inquisition.
Due to riots and protests occurring during our visit, armed policemen lined the streets.
The traffic in Lima is horrendous and dangerous. Drivers do not adhere to street signs or signals, and as a result many accidents occur daily.
Convento de San Francisco
While in Lima, we were able to tour the archeological museum as well as the famous Church of San Francisco. Understandably, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the churches we toured. The sights inside were absolutely magnificent, and Jaime's wealth of knowledge and information was so helpful. We were able to view Diego de la Puente's rendition of The Last Supper, which varies considerably from Da Vinci's. Instead of being seated at a banquet-style table, Jesus and his Disciples are gathered around a round table, and children appear all over providing food and drinks. There's a small devil-looking creature whispering in Judas's ear. In addition, a guinea pig (one of Peru's delicacies) rests as the main dish in the center of the table.
As a surprise to all of us, we were able to explore the underground catacombs, or ossuary, beneath the Monastery of San Francisco. Skeletal remains line the walls, and burial pits run along the walls, holding bones divided by body part. Below is a picture of the main well, 10 meters deep and containing old citizens and parishioners of Lima. It was just as I imagine the setting of Poe's The Cask of Amontillado, complete with the eerie smells, dark lighting, and silence...
Meeting local Peruvian teens in front of the cathedral.
For dinner after our first full day, we went to a chain-type Peruvian restaurant called Norky's. It was here we were able to try Perus' famous soda, Inca Cola, for the first time. It's actually pretty disgusting; entirely too sweet (even for me!) and tastes like bubble gum:
The next morning we flew to Cusco, Peru's former Incan capital, and had to wake up at 2:00 AM for our flight. We needed to leave early in order to avoid the large amount of turbulence that exists on this particular flight, and we were definitely tired as we boarded the plane. The sunrise, however, at the end of the flight was magnificent:
In Cusco we stayed at the Mabey Hotel, which was even nicer than our hotel in Lima. Once we arrived, we were instructed to drink the Coca leaf tea and go directly to bed in order to acclimate to Cusco's 11,150 foot elevation. Many travelers get altitude sickness, and our group was no exception: most members of our group suffered from headaches, stomachaches, diarrhea, and/or vomiting at one point or another during the trip. The Coca plant is native to the Andes Mountains, and is the main ingredient in cocaine. While I was under the impression Colombia is the world's largest cocaine distibutor, it is in fact Peru.
Coca Plant Tea
After a few hours of acclimation, we walked to lunch at an Indian/Peruvian fusion restaurant, then set out to explore the beautiful city of Cusco. We spent about a half an hour in the Plaza de Armas, which was one of the most gorgeous town squares I've ever seen, flanked on all sides by historic churches or the daunting Andes Mountains.
After touring the town square, we went to the Coricancha Temple, the most important temple in the Incan Empire, which was dedicated to the Sun God. Here we were able to see hundreds of pieces of Incan art, jewerly, and other various artifacts. The gardens around the temple were just beautiful:
After the temple, we took the bus up the mountains to our first Incan ruin site, Saqsaywaman. While the Incans lived in and expanded on this site, it was actually built by an even earlier civilization, the Killke culture.
The walls used to be much higher, but the Spanish used large pieces of the walls to build Cusco churches hundreds of years ago. The massive walls are made of huge rocks fitted so closely together that a piece of paper cannot be slipped through the cracks, therefore the precision is incredible.
Our guide, Jaime, telling us about the Incan rituals and beliefs surrounding Saqsaywaman.
A full view of Cusco from the top of Saqsaywaman.
Two of my three students..."S" for Siciliano... (their idea) :)
For dinner on our second night, we walked to a traditional restaurant where a local Peruvian flute band serenaded us while we ate (yes Paul, I bought a Peruvian flute for you!)
Peru music is awesome. Flute bands, live bands, festival dance music; it's all catchy and vibrant and fun. Plus, it's clear the Peruvians enjoy it and are proud of it, which makes it that much better. A traditional pan flute song we heard multiple times:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9aQwP-j8M
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